


Show and (Don't) Tell

by sue_dreams (raegan_1)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (temporary) deafness, Gen, Team Feels, Timeline What Timeline, assume future fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 21:05:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7137083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raegan_1/pseuds/sue_dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of yet another Avengers assembly, Coulson is hospitalized and Clint's struggling to keep calm</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show and (Don't) Tell

**Author's Note:**

> Clint and Coulson injured in same shitstorm--Coulson unconscious, injuries never described. Clint is (temporarily?) deafened. It's been a while, but Bruce being fluent in ASL is canon, I think.

The ringing that had been in his ears right after the explosion has stopped, but that leaves Clint only in the worst kind of silence. On the bed, Coulson--alive, the beautiful son of a bitch--is hooked up to a dozen monitors that each probably have their own bells and whistles, but Clint can't hear them.

Clint watches the rise and fall of Coulson's chest under the blanket, watches his mouth to catch the movement every time his lips smack together; they're starting to crack and there's white flecks at the corner of his mouth, but the nurse assures Clint that all of Coulson's fluids are being administered by IV and his request for a cup of water _anyway_ has gone unfulfilled. Clint wants to be angry at the staff, but he can't hear their explanations and his anger is thwarted by the thought that they _could_ have a good reason.

Natasha is on a mission and Fury and Hill are still handling fallout from this debacle. There's no one else Clint trusts to watch over Coulson than his own impaired self. He doesn't know all that's going on, but the nurses and staff let him read labels before they administer anything new and Clint's been around the med bay enough to know what a lot of it is for and to know it's needed. Still, he needs something more than a thumb's up for a status report, more than the numbers on the monitors. 

He wants to touch; just put his hand--maybe just fingertips--to Coulson's chest and feel the rise and fall of his breathing. Put a finger over the pulse in his neck and feel the beats per second the monitor keeps reporting. 

In frustration he closes his eyes, and in surprise opens them a minute later when there's a noticeable shift of air pressure in the room denoting the opening of the door. Stark enters, mouth moving in what is probably some awful combination of arrogance and poorly disguised sympathy. Thankfully, Rogers follows on his heels. Clint holds up the sign he printed earlier--"Hearing compromised". 

Behind Rogers comes Bruce. Bruce is the one who looks at the sign and then raises his hands. The first few signs are slow--testing Clint's understanding, maybe, or just from disuse--but after Clint signs back an affirmative, Bruce signs an update. They must have seen a nurse on the way in, because the information covers the results of the latest blood draw.

Clint sinks a little further into his chair and Steve pulls the second chair over. Clint's confused when Captain America steals the arm of his chair, but Steve's hands tap out a rhythm that vibrates just enough...

He has to close his eyes against the burn of tears, but he says a quiet, "Thank you" as Steve continues to tap out Coulson's heart rate. Bruce starts pointing at the numbers and signing explanations for each one. Tony has pulled out a tablet and looks like he's removing himself from the emotion of the scene, but Start is terrible at hiding is emotional investment in things and he frequently glances up from his tablet to look from Coulson and Clint and back. After a couple minutes, he hands the tablet to Clint who looks at the picture uncomprehendingly...then he chokes on a tearful laugh, because Start has an image of Coulson's heart and lungs pulled up on the screen like an ultrasound in red and gold.

After a couple careful breaths, Clint opens his eyes and signs to Bruce asking for more information, not just status but prognosis, theories, anything.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm processing through fic therapy. Please forgive lack of medical knowledge. I tried to be vague enough so I could enjoy my sappy feels without offending anyone who knows better. Relationship tag is because I see everything through shipper goggles.


End file.
